William Friedkin: Interviews (Conversations with Filmmakers Series)

Academy Award-winning director William Friedkin (b. 1935) is best known for his critically and commercially successful films The French Connection and The Exorcist. Unlike other film school-educated filmmakers of the directors era Friedkin got his start as a mailroom clerk at a local TV station and worked his way up to becoming a full-blown Hollywood filmmaker by his thirties. His rapid rise behind the camera from television director to Oscar winner came with self-confidence and unorthodox methods. Known for his gritty and auteurist style Friedkins films tell the story of a changing America upended by crime hypocrisy the occult and amorality. Although his subsequent films achieved varying levels of success his cultural impact is undeniable.William Friedkin: Interviews collects fifteen articles interviews and seminars spanning Friedkins career. He discusses early influences early successes awards and current projects. The volume provides coverage of his directorial process beliefs and anecdotes from his time serving as the creative force of some of the biggest films of the 1970s and beyond-from his early days in Chicago to his run-ins with Alfred Hitchcock to firing guns on set and witnessing an actual exorcism in Italy. Through previously unpublished and obscure interviews and seminars the story of William Friedkins work and life is woven together into a candid and concise impression for cinephiles horror junkies and aspiring filmmakers alike. Readers will gain insight into Friedkins genius from his own perspectives and discover the thoughts and processes of a true maverick of American cinema.